Nursing-gown.



PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904 E. T. COYLE.

NURSING GOWN.

APPLICATION FILED APR.12,1904.

NO MODEL.

Flvi Meme:

ing-gown embodying my invention.

UNITED STATES Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

NURSlNG-GOWN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 778,014, dated December 20, 1904.

Application filed April 12, 1904. Serial No. 202,757.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REBEooA T. CoYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvernents in Nursing-Gowns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a nursing-gown formed of a pair of flaps connected with the edges of an opening or slit in the gown, the same being adapted to be folded over the breast on either side or on both sides thereof, so as to partly or entirely cover and conceal the breast without, however, interfering with nursing, said flaps when not in use being adapted to close said opening or slit and to be folded compactly out of the way.

Figure 1 represents a front view of a nurs- Figs. 2 and 3 represent rear views thereof. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent horizontal sections thereof, showing certain parts in different positions.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures,

Referring to the drawings, A designates a garment which, excepting the feature of my invention applied thereto, is as usual. The breast portions of the garment are vertically slitted, and to the edges of the slits aresecured the flaps B, which consist of pieces of fabric which are gathered at the upper and lower ends, as at (J, and open from said ends from top to bottom, forming passages D, whereby provision is made for presenting the breasts at the front of the garment for nursing purposes. On the inner portions of the flaps are fastening members E F, which when connected hold the passagesD in closed condition, said passages then being practically concealed; but to such fastenings I do not limit myself, and they may be omitted, if desired.

The operation is as follows: The fastenings of either side are disconnected, when the walls of the passage D and the portions of the garment adjacent thereto may be spread, thus widening said passage about the location of the breast and allowing the breast to protrude. The walls of the passage D now contract, owing to the strain on the gathers O, and so materially cover the breast sufficient for general purposes, as shown in Fig. 1. Either flap B on the right or left may be drawn forward to the front through said passage, so as to further cover and conceal one side of the breast, or both flaps may so be drawn forward (see Fig. 5) as to cover both sides of the breast and practically cover the entire breast, leaving, however, the nipple free, the effect of which is evident in, either case, as in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. If one flap is in use, the other flap may remain folded or be folded rearward of the breast portion, as in Figs. 3

and 4, or if when no nursing is required and the passage D is closed the flaps may be folded on each other, as shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 6, or the rear flap in Fig. 6 may be folded in a direction opposite to the other flap, as shown in dotted lines in said figure.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction shown without departing from the general spirit of my invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited in each case to the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A nursing-gown having a vertical opening in the breast portion thereof and a plurality of flaps connected respectively with the opposite walls of said opening from top to bottom thereof, said flaps being gathered at their upper and lower ends, both flaps being foldable upon the backs of said walls.

REBECOA T. (DOYLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM,

S. R. CARR. 

